


Yours Forever

by phookaboo



Category: Welcome to Hell - All Media Types
Genre: Crack Treated Seriously, Demonic Possession, Everyone Is Gay, Fluff and Crack, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-30
Updated: 2018-07-30
Packaged: 2019-06-18 16:48:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 17,538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15490326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phookaboo/pseuds/phookaboo
Summary: SUMMARY: Jonathan tricks Sock into becoming his demonic servant in exchange for his soul. Shenanigans, an angry Meph and cute gay moments ensue. "Yours Forever" is a fanfiction written for the Welcome to Hell 2018 Big Bang.It's a little bit silly and it got a little out of hand as I was writing it but I hope you enjoy it.UPDATE: If you'd like to listen to this rather than read it, check out thenarrated version!Thanks to the artists who worked with me: www.flores--art.tumblr.com & www.katy-133.tumblr.com they did an amazing job!





	1. How Do You Solve A Problem Like Jonathan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Art by [ Katy-133 ](http://fav.me/dcipezq)

Sock was used to being ignored by Jonathan, but tonight was something else.

It was a Monday, and like any usual Monday, Sock had put his full self into his job. He’d disrupted Jonathan at every moment throughout the day: embarrassing him in class, making him look a fool at lunch, all the typical antics that would usually be met with a scowl or a glare from his moody teenage “friend”.

But today? What was it about today? Every inconvenience, every embarrassing moment just elicited a slight grin - or was that a smirk? - from Jonathan. He seemed distracted by something, a something that seemed to lighten his mood tangibly whenever it came to the front of his mind.

And this bothered Sock to no end all day. The final straw was on the bus journey home when Jonathan; moody, sulky, down-trodden Jonathan, was humming along to the tunes from his over-ear headphones. HUMMING.

“You’re not supposed to be HUMMING, you’re supposed to be MISERABLE!” cried Sock in despair, flattening himself dramatically onto the aisle floor of the dirty bus. This outburst did nothing to attract Jonathan’s attention as he continued to hum.

And now, in Jonathan’s home, Sock was pacing, following Jonathan from room to room, making feeble, less-confident attempts to bring down his mood.

“You can just… give up anytime…” said Sock to a passing Jonathan.

“Sure, Sock,” smiled Jonathan, much to Sock’s annoyance.

Despite Sock’s weak attempts at interference, he was strictly on task, gathering things together, going in between his bedroom and bathroom multiple times, more energetic and focused than Sock had ever seen him. All while smiling that infuriating smile. Wait was he - was Jonathan - getting ready for a DATE?!

Sock was so struck by that thought that he just floated in place for a few minutes, his jaw agape comically.

Not possible, surely? Not Jonathan, how can he have a date when he doesn’t even have any FRIENDS? But the smiling… that smile he wore all day… no even before then? Had he not been acting at least a little suspicious all week? Not a date surely not. But… the freaking… HUMMING - 

Jonathan passed by him again in the hallway, snapping Sock out of his trance. He had to blink several times as his undead brain tried to process what he was seeing. Jonathan looked different. Not just different, he looked amazing. He had changed from his typical outfit of grey hoodie and jeans into a fetchingly gothic ensemble. He wore a velvet cloak as dark as the night sky, frighteningly tight leather pants obscured only by a pair of black combat boots. When he’d finished admiring his body, Sock looked upwards and locked eyes with Jonathan, who had stopped walking and was staring back at him with a black-lipsticked smirk. His eyes were brighter than usual with amusement and expertly rimmed with black eyeliner.

After a crushing few seconds of eye contact, and with a theatrical sigh, Jonathan twirled around and marched purposefully into the bathroom, closing the door softly behind him, a taunt that made Sock irked and concerned.

“Jonathan! Come back here, where are you going tonight dressed like that??” demanded Sock, gliding through the bathroom door, “Why the heck is it so dark in here? Answer me-”

The bathroom was pitch black and, although he was a demon, Sock’s eyes needed a moment to adjust to the gloom. There was an acrid waft of smoke and essential oils. Peering, he could just make out small cylindrical objects placed around the room that were never there before.

“Don’t worry… I’m not going anywhere…” came Jonathan’s suspiciously silky voice from somewhere behind Sock, causing him to flinch and spin around on the spot, “And neither are you, NAPOLEON MAXWELL SOWACHOWSKI!”

Suddenly, there was a flaring, brilliant flash of fire and Sock felt himself pulled down to the ground, burning his hands and feet. Looking down in shock, he saw that he was stuck to a pentacle that had been chalked onto the bathroom tiles, small black candles around the outer edge creating a barrier of light that he dare not try to cross. Fearfully, he looked to where he had heard Jonathan’s voice before. The tall teen was looking down on him with a mania in his eyes to which Sock could only cower.

“Pathetic,” said Jonathan. The light in the room died down from an almost blinding white to a soft red and orange glow. The delicate light caressed Jonathan’s features softly and Sock could see now that although his expression was mocking, it was not cruel.

Still too afraid and baffled to speak, Sock pulled himself into a sitting position. He felt heavy and he knew innately that he was confined to the symbol on the floor until Jonathan decided otherwise.

Jonathan pulled a leather-bound book from the voluminous fabric of his cloak and fumbled, a little clumsily, through the pages. He cleared his throat.

“Napoleon Maxwell ‘Sock’ Sowachowski, murderer of his parents and victim of suicide,” he intoned. At these words, Sock felt a great and curious power binding him, “Demon and disciple of Mephistopheles, I name thee,” Jonathan looked up from his book expectantly.

“Uhhh, yeah that’s me,” Sock replied. He was confused and afraid but seeing Jonathan fumble around like this, playing at some sort of magician and wearing a velvet cloak from Hot Topic, made him a little more at ease.

“Now that I have you where I want you,” said Jonathan, crouching down to Sock’s eye level with a squeak of his leather pants, “I’d like to make a contract with you.”


	2. Hell is Paperwork

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Art by [ Katy-133 ](http://fav.me/dcipfhe)

“Hell is paperwork,” sighed the devil as he finished a sheet with a flourish of his pen and moved onto the next towering stack.

Usually, Mephistopheles would have one hundred poor, unfortunate souls charged with this menial task but, alas, hell was in shambles.

He’d even resorted to hiring a few extra demons as of late. As inexperienced and ineffective as they tended to be at first, they were slowly making things easier in terms of workload.

All of them had gotten into their new lease of life as demons and were steadily supplying a new workforce through the gates of Hell.

All except one.

“Hmmm,” Mephistopheles paused his frantic signing for a moment to stride over to his infinite filing cabinet. 

He flicked through the reems of documents and plucked out a particular case file, flipping it open to the status sheet. Jonathan Combs. Alive. Demon Assigned: Sock Sowachowski.

“Still not dead, huh,” mused Meph aloud to himself, “Perhaps I’ll have to make room in my schedule for a visit.”

He turned back to his desk in time to see his neatly organised stack of papers tilt and topple to the floor with a crash. 

A scream of utter rage and frustration caused hell to fall still for just a moment.


	3. There's No Way I'll Ever Regret It

“A… a contract?” stammered Sock, unable to break away from Jonathan’s confident gaze.

“That’s right,” said Jonathan, “You’re a demon right? And I’ve trapped you here by intoning your true name. That means I can proposition you with anything I want in return for my soul.”

Sock blinked, “You seem to know an awful lot, how long have you been planning this?”

Jonathan smiled smugly and straightened up to pace around the pentacle.

“You wouldn’t have noticed because you were too busy bugging me all the time, but we had to read Goethe’s Faust in English class at the start of the semester. It got me thinking about demons and stuff, pestering the living, trying to take a man’s soul, being a pain in the ass,” he shot Sock a tired look, “But with a little further reading I figured maybe the legends might be true, it could be possible to trick a demon... and get them to serve you.”

Sock flinched at this and turned his body to look at Jonathan, “Serve you?” he repeated.

Jonathan chuckled softly, “All I had to do was collect a few specific items, some candles, some chalk, some incense, an awesome cloak, but most elusive of all, your True Name.”

“You found me out, huh,” said Sock, pulling himself to his feet. He still felt the strange heaviness, and unable to float he had to tilt his head back to look at the older boy.

“A human that became a demon, a child that killed their own parents, you really are something,” said Jonathan, shaking his head.

“Yeah, I love killing, so what? And I was close enough to getting you to kill yourself, if it weren’t for that meddling English class and their stupid books!”

“Faust is a play, Sock,” laughed Jonathan, his judgemental expression slipping.

“Same thing! Jonathan, what are you going to do with me?”

Jonathan twirled maniacally, getting the full $25 worth that the cloak cost him.

“Do with you? How about what you’re going to do FOR ME!” he cackled, “All these months of torment and now, Sock, you’re going to do exactly what I tell you to do! You’re going to be my servant, my own personal demon!”

Jonathan’s eyes reflected the glow of the candles as he flashed a triumphant look through the mess of blonde hair that had fallen into his face. Sock held his ground and glared up at him.

“Like heck I am! Have you really gone crazy? What in the heck made you think I’d agree to that?”

Despite his outburst, Sock considered fearfully for a moment that maybe all of his antics had truly sent Jonathan insane. And instead of killing himself he had become some sort of black arts sadist?

Jonathan pushed his hair back off his face in a sweeping motion and strode nonchalantly into the pentacle, causing Sock to step back instinctively.

“I think it’s a fair deal, whoever you were working for before gave you an impossible task right? There’s no way you could have gotten me to kill myself, sorry buddy but yes you sucked at your job,” Sock started to disagree but his confidence was shaken by the invasion of his personal space, “And even if you succeeded, what was your reward then? The devil gets my soul and you get what? To move onto the next job?”

Sock averted his eyes and thought fleetingly of Mephistopheles, “I can’t…” he murmured.

“Make this contract with me and when I die you get my soul. I can’t say what you’d do with a person’s soul but you demons must have some use for them, right?”

Jonathan’s voice was silky-soft, inviting Sock to slowly pull his eyes back to look at the teenager’s face. The warm light flickered and danced on his skin. His eyes were teasing but for a split second, in the candlelight, was there something else he saw there?

“Your soul…” he half-thought, half-said.

Jonathan gave an almost friendly smile and raised his hand, pinky out-stretched.

“My soul,” he confirmed.

Sock’s will to resist dissipated. He was a demon after all, and there was nothing so potently irresistible as a human soul, like a warm ripe peach to a starving animal.

“My servitude,” he replied, extending his own pinky in compliance.

They touched softly at first then locked together, the candlelight bursting upwards in response.

“Is yours forever,” they intoned in unison.

The contract was sealed.

***

Whilst Jon slept soundly, and maybe a little smugly upstairs, Sock’s mind was reeling.

“This was not a good idea, not a good idea at all,” he lamented, pacing in circles a few inches above the living room carpet.

His servitude to Jonathan, until he died? That was ridiculous! And now he couldn’t convince him to die, not unless it was a direct instruction from the man himself.

And oh man, oh MAN this meant at some point very soon, his real boss - or rather his former boss - would find out and he certainly would not be very happy about it.

He’d so far seen Mephistopheles mocking, exasperated, business-like but nothing close to disappointed or even angry.

Sock gulped.

He didn’t think he wanted to know what an angry Meph looked like.

He looked down at his hands in despair. A delicate, lace-like scar was entwined around his right pinky finger.

This was real and it was happening.

Sock was only given one choice after he died. But now maybe there was another way to pass the time in the afterlife. He certainly liked being around Jonathan.

He thought about the older boy for a moment. His snarky attitude, his sulky looks, his solitary nature. All the traits that made him a social outcast were somehow magnetic to Sock. He’d certainly wanted to do his job, but the longer Jonathan resisted the more he’d learnt to appreciate his company. Had he not occasionally worried about what would happen to Jonathan when he did kill himself? Had he not occasionally felt joy in the moments spent with a Jonathan that was alive?

And now he’d seen a side of Jonathan that was even more intriguing than his usual ‘moody teen’ persona. A smug, scheming side that shopped at Hot Topic and made plans about Sock’s future in secret. A Jonathan that sought control and dabbled in black magic.

Sock couldn’t deny that he was tempted to see how this new side of Jonathan would act. As his boss. Or in those pleather clothes, maybe he was more of a master? Perhaps there was more than one way to spend his afterlife.

As he bargained with himself, he felt a little more at ease. After all, there was nothing he could do at 3am, stressing and burning a glowing-green hole into the living room carpet. He may as well wait to see what tomorrow brings.


	4. End of the Dream

Jonathan danced delicately along the line between sleep and consciousness. He’d never slept so soundly, so profoundly dreamlessly, in recent memory. A sigh escaped his parted lips as he perceived daylight through his eyelids.

He felt a weight settle across his legs. He peered through his eyelashes.

For a split second, he saw a horrible monster, a dark hungry shape lounging across his lower body, stretching itself, flexing its claws, opening its jaws - 

“MBLUGHHHGHHBB,” cried Jonathan, snapping out of his slumber and scrabbling to sit up.

As he frantically rubbed his eyes he saw the gentle green glow of a boy perched on the edge of his bed. It was just Sock.

“Ugh, Sock, you scared the crap outta me,” sighed Jonathan with relief.

Sock giggled a high-fructose giggle, “Good morning Master,” he smiled smarmily.

Jonathan suddenly recalled the events of last night and took a moment to regain composure. That was right. He called the shots now.

“Please, never call me that again,” he said dryly, pulling the sheets off himself.

Standing upright, he yawned and stretched and tried to come to life. Sock hovered attentively nearby.

“I’m gonna have a shower. Sock, prepare my hoodie,” he said with authority.

“Yes sir!” replied Sock goofily, diving into the pine wardrobe.

Jonathan entered the adjacent bathroom, ready to enjoy some peace and quiet now that Sock wasn’t permitted to bug him anymore.

Jonathan stripped out of his snazzy black and purple pyjamas and stepped into the shower.

The water was refreshing and he turned his face into it. A river of black ran down his body as he was cleansed of yesterday’s eyeliner.

Stood under the relaxing jet of water, he took a moment to consider his situation. He was giving being mysterious and powerful a good try, but he knew it wasn’t the real him. He was clumsy and unsure, yet he was in control of a demon now. A glance down at the fine scar around his pinky finger confirmed it. 

This was real and it was happening.

One day, that demon would have his soul. But that demon was Sock, the most ridiculous person he’d ever come across. A goofy kid with stupid hair who couldn’t even get a suicidal teen to top themselves.

He couldn’t suppress a smile, “That idiot,” he thought.

“A warm towel, my liege!”

“ASDFGHJKL!” squawked Jonathan, unexpectedly snapped out of his musings.

He snatched the towel out of the hands of the floating apparition and hastily tied it around his waist.

“Okay, let’s lay down some ground rules,” he sighed exasperatedly, “No more scaring the crap out of me and for God’s sake KNOCK on the bathroom door if you want me!”

Sock looked ashamed, “Sorry… I thought this might… impress you,” he mumbled sheepishly.

Jonathan softened, “Well, I have no idea where you got a warm towel from. But I appreciate it.”

He strode out of the bathroom leaving Sock blushing at his kind words and considering how he would clean towel fluff out of the microwave.

He slipped quickly into the clothes that Sock had carefully, yet somehow clumsily, laid out for him. He shoved a few books into his shoulder bag.

“Ready for school?” smiled Sock, handing the teen his trusty headphones.

Jonathan took them and looked Sock up and down, a small sadistic smile creeping across his face.

“Yeah, I’m ready,” he said slyly, stroking his chin in mock thought, “But I think a servant of mine needs some kind of uniform. I can’t be seen in public with a demon dressed like that.”

Sock laughed nervously and fiddled with the hem of his purple skirt, “C-come on, what’s wrong with my clothes? No one else can see me but you anyway, right?”

Jonathan simply continued smiling and stepped towards him, pulling a plastic Spencer’s carrier bag out from the depths of his satchel.

“Jon… Jonathan…? What are you doing? What’s in that bag-- NO!”


	5. Original Character Don't Steal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Art by [flores--art](www.flores--art.tumblr.com)

Jonathan stepped off the bus with a much happier demeanour than usual. He never usually had this much pep when it came to school, but from today, things would be different.

“Come on Sock,” he said quietly so the kids nearby couldn’t hear.

Shyly, Sock peeped around the door of the bus before floating down beside his boss.

The demon was clad in a strikingly gothic ensemble. He wore a pleather waistcoat over an oversized MCR t-shirt (an item Jonathan had previously used as pyjamas), a plaid mini skirt decorated with thick silver chains for no functional reason, hot pink fishnets and hobnail boots.

Some preps looked over at Jonathan. Sock stuck his middle finger up at them.

“Relax,” said Jonathan, walking through the school gates, “Like you say, no-one can see you after all.”

“Thank the Devil,” muttered Sock. At least the boy hadn’t been able to wrestle his signature hat off of his untameable head of brown hair. But he had demanded that Sock use some demon magic to change the colours to black, purple and hot pink.

“As a ‘uniform’ it’s hardly practical!” Sock exclaimed, his chains jingling.

Jonathan failed to suppress a chuckle, “I’m afraid that this is purely for my own enjoyment.”

“I didn’t realise you had a thing for deviantart OCs,” snarked Sock, causing Jonathan to laugh even more.

“What are you laughing at, freak?”

Uh-oh. Jonathan’s chuckling had enticed the rage of the biggest, meanest and most sexually-repressed bully in school. Chad McJockerson. He was at least one foot taller than Jonathan and wore a mean look on his meaty face.

Sock hid behind Jonathan’s back instinctively but Jonathan was standing firm.

“Oh not anything really, why?” he smiled calmly.

“Well it seems like you was laughing at me, weirdo!” retorted Chad, squaring up and towering over his classmate.

“Ah, well, I wasn’t, so sorry if it seemed that way. Should we go to class?” he sounded confident, but Sock was sure he saw a tremble. Jonathan usually avoided confrontation at all costs.

Chad’s brain-cogs whirred as he tried to think of something intimidating to say, “Yeah we’ll go to class, after you laugh on uh… the other side of your stupid handsome face!”

“Well there’s really no need for violence-- uh did you just call me ‘handsome’?”

Chad turned red and rolled his sleeves up over his hammy forearms, “You need to learn when to shut up, nerd!”

“He’s not a nerd! Nerds are smart…” snarked Sock over his master’s shoulder.

Jonathan rolled his eyes, “Sock, I really don’t want to be late,” he said, stepping to the side of the bully to walk around him, “So whatever you do to him, don’t kill him, but make it hurt, okay?”

“Yes sir!” chimed Sock, knowing what he had to do. It had been a while since he’d attempted a possession. This should be fun.

Chad turned aggressively, “Huh? Where you think you’re going, ya twink??”

Suddenly, a darkness engulfed Chad’s senses. He was dying, his blood was burning, he prayed, he screamed. Something was in him, eating him from the inside.

Jonathan stepped over Chad’s twitching bulk and carried on to class.

A crowd formed around the large teen, asking him what was wrong and trying to wake him up. A girl cried out in fear as she looked at the boy dribbling, his eyes rolled back into his skull.

Before he entered the classroom door, Jonathan turned slightly.

“Come on, I said don’t kill him.”

Sock unleashed his victim, gasping. Obediently, he apparated to his master’s side.

***  
For the most part, the rest of the day was mundane and uncomfortable for Sock.

Fetching books, opening doors, saving people, hunting things, the family business, handing things to Jonathan, all very generic tasks for a servant to perform.

He gritted his teeth a little at some of the more demeaning tasks. A powerful demon shouldn’t be having to do grunt work dressed as a Claire’s employee from 2006!

Anytime he showed displeasure, Jonathan would simply smirk. He was really enjoying this slice of payback for the months of torment that Sock had put him through.

Yet in every quiet moment, Sock would find himself reeling from the events of that morning.

Chad’s screams of fear and agony rang through the demon’s mind. And they were delicious.

He had loved killing for as long as he could remember, but causing pain was never on his agenda.

While he was inside Chad, he’d started off by causing a little pain, a dash of confusion. But through possession he could perceive everything through his perspective. The pain felt good. Sock had become fixated on inflicting more and more pain until he was on the brink of killing the boy. But before he reached that tantalising, agonising final moment, Jonathan had called him off.

That denial from his master only caused even more intrigue, and the event played over in Sock’s head throughout the day.

Did he enjoy inflicting pain or did he see it as foreplay to killing? Or perhaps, just perhaps, he was starting to like having Jonathan tell him what to do...

“Sock? Sock, hellooooo??”

Sock snapped out of his daydream. His face felt hot.

“Huh?” he said, dopily.

Jonathan regarded Sock’s flushed cheeks with concern, “Are you thinking about… earlier? With Chad, I mean. Do you… feel pain when you do that possession thing?”

“Uh… yeah I guess,” said Sock carefully, trying to guess what Jonathan was thinking.

Jonathan’s face reflected his own shame, “I’m sorry I asked you to do that, I went too far. It was mean on Chad and I didn’t consider whether it would hurt you. Sorry.”

Sock bit his lip to stop the truth tumbling out. He’d enjoyed it. He’d enjoyed it way too much. And he wanted Jonathan to tell him to do it again.

He caught himself and forced a goofy look, “No way, don’t apologise! That kinda stuff is just what us demons do. Chad’ll be fine, and I’m sure he learnt a lesson!”

Jonathan seemed unsure but softened a little, “Come on dingus, it’s lunchtime. I need you to grab me some nuggets before they run out.”

“Y-yes Mr Combs!” said Sock, rousing himself.


	6. What Do I Have To Do To Get Inside Of You?

Sock sauntered (can you saunter and float at the same time is there a word for that) over to a patiently waiting Jonathan, tray piled high with precious nuggets.

“Sick,” said Jonathan, clearly impressed. On a typical day, the unpopular teen would be pushed to the back of the queue and miss out on the cafeteria’s only edible foods.

The pair looked around the packed hall. They may have the goods, but there were no available seats.

“Want me to um… ‘make room’?” suggested Sock with great anticipation. Possession had been on his mind all afternoon. He could get these kids to move without messing them up like he had with Chad.

“Hmmm,” Jonathan looked out of the window, “Well it’s a nice enough day. Let’s eat outside.”

“Great idea, I’ll go ahead and set up!” and with that, he rushed ahead of his master.

***

This really wasn’t like Jonathan at all, thought Sock as he prepared a suitable seating arrangement for his master. His mood really had lifted following yesterday’s events. Sock mused to himself that maybe he didn’t suck at this job at all.

With a flourish he laid the tray of nugs down. He had sourced a checked blanket and laid it on the grass beneath a cherry tree on the school field.

“Wow, looks great,” said Jonathan, finally catching up to his servant.

“What can I say, I’m one hell of a butler,” winked Sock, who had waited approximately 4300 words to make that joke.

Jonathan rolled his eyes but couldn’t suppress a smile.

“Let’s dig in,” he said, sitting on the blanket, “Um, I don’t know if you can eat, but you’re welcome to join me.”

Sock crossed his legs and floated a few inches above the ground, “I’m not sure, with the spooky hole and all, but I can try!”

Together, they happened to reach for the same nugget, their contracted right-hands colliding with each other.

Sock looked down at Jonathan’s delicate pale fingers resting just slightly over his own. For an awkward few seconds, neither tried to pull away.

Sock looked up, “Jonathan…”

Jonathan hesitated then shyly met his eyes, “Uh… yeah?” he croaked.

“Could it be… that you’re craving my McNuggies?”

Jonathan wrenched his hand away and covered his face, shaking with laughter, “That’s so DUMB don’t talk to me again ahahhaaa!!”

Sock used this spell of hysteria as a chance to let out a shaky sigh of relief before laughing a little too.

Jonathan pulled his hands down his face, laughter subsiding, “You’re such a goof.”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” laughed Sock, “Please, eat!”

Jonathan hesitantly bit a nugget, “I dunno, you kinda ruined these for me now,” he joked.

The pair were so relaxed and at ease in each other’s company. So relaxed that neither saw a hulking figure limping toward their idyllic lunch spot.

Jonathan stopped eating to look Sock in the eye, “You know, I’ve been meaning to ask you--”

Suddenly, a 300lb weight slammed into the teen, knocking him flat to the ground.

Sock cried out in shock. It was Chad, fresh out of the nurses’ office and seeking revenge.

“What. The hell. Did. You. DO TO ME!” grunted Chad, slamming Jonathan’s shoulders into the ground to punctuate each word.

Sock tried to grab Chad but his hands slipped right through. He couldn’t hurt a human, not without his master’s say-so.

“Jonathan!! Tell me what to do!” he cried desperately.

Jonathan’s eyes were reeling. He had a bloody nose and could barely breathe under the bigger boy’s weight.

“S-sock,” he gasped, “Help… me…”

Sock leapt at Chad again and this time the possession worked. He slipped into Chad’s skin like one would slide their foot into a slipper.

His perception changed once again to Chad’s point of view. He was out of breath and still feeling a tingling of pain from his previous demonic torturing.

Before he could begin to make this awful boy suffer again, he stopped as he looked down into Jonathan’s face. He remembered Jonathan’s sincere apology earlier, how he didn’t want to cause any pain. To him or a bully like Chad.

He rearranged Chad’s body as to be no-longer crushing his master and without thinking, used Chad’s hand to brush his blonde hair out of his eyes.

Able to breathe and focus his eyes again, Jonathan saw his bully now had brilliant glowing green eyes and a concerned expression. He felt his damp face being dabbed by a corner of the picnic blanket.

“Sock, what are you doing,” he croaked, smiling deliriously at the ridiculousness of this brute tending to him like a lover.

‘Chock’ propped his master into a seated position and dusted off his clothes, “Are you hurt?” he asked, a strange combination of both voices coming from Chad’s mouth.

“A little bruised,” said Jonathan, feeling his nose tentatively, “Nothing broken.”

Chock left one hand clutching Jonathan’s arm and the other flew to his chest with a thump, “That scared the heckin’ life out of me! I mean, it would if I was alive…”

Jonathan looked Chock up and down warily, “So you didn’t hurt him? I was worried you might try to kill him this time.”

“Of course not! How can I kill someone and look after you at the same time!?” he blurted, immediately feeling Chad’s face go red at the sudden outburst of his feelings.

Jonathan tried to laugh but doubled over, clutching his ribs, “Oof, no more jokes for today, I think.”

Chock looked at Jonathan with a furrowed brow of worry. As he regarded the teen, he felt something strange. He could feel some of Chad’s emotions. As if the bully was watching this scene from inside a dream.

“Woah, Chad really has a crush on you,” Chock said in awe.

Jonathan clutched himself, “Please, dude, I said no more jokes, I can’t take it!”

He looked around at the blanket, soberly, considering the situation.

“Sock, I want you to erase Chad’s memories from today. And his pain, if he has any.”

“Awww,” sulked Chock, disappointed.

“I know, not very demonic, but I think it’ll be way safer for me that way,” he said sagely, “Then leave him here in a light sleep on the blanket. He can eat the rest of the nuggets as an apology.”

“As you wish, sir,” said Chock, starting to rummage through Chad’s memories.

“Thanks. Meet me in the nurse’s office,” he grunted, hauling himself up and staggering back towards the school.

Chock lay down on the blanket. One by one, and with a green flash, most of the day’s events were removed from the boy’s memory. The argument with Jonathan. Gone. The pain. Gone. The lust for revenge. Gone.

In the corner of his mind, something got the demon’s attention. It was a concept. Sock could see Chad’s crush on Jonathan. He felt an odd twinge. He wanted to remove that too, but he couldn’t, not without instruction. Or was that Chad’s desire to have it removed he was feeling? Or, could it be… no it couldn’t… But for a second he considered that it was Sock’s own desires he was looking at.

The demon recoiled out of Chad’s body, shuddering. That was a little confusing. Possession was no fun unless it was to cause pain. He highly doubted that Jonathan would let him do that to someone again after today.

He should have been sad that he missed out on the chance to recreate the euphoria he’d felt via possession that morning. But instead, Sock felt a deep concern for his master. 

Flying hurriedly to the school, his only thoughts being that the sooner he got Jonathan home to rest, the better.


	7. I Forgot You Could Tempt Me With Things I Want

Jonathan groaned as Sock helped lower him into bed. It had been a fair few hours since he was attacked, but he was still extremely sore. He’d irritatedly refused Sock’s teasing offers to help him shower and change his clothes, meaning he had only managed to change his pants. Putting on a pyjama top required too much movement from his bruised ribs.

Sock pulled back from his prone master and observed his battered torso.

“Dang, you bruise like a peach,” he mused tenderly.

“Thanks, don’t ever say that again,” Jonathan grunted, struggling to mask how tired he was.

“Tucky tucky,” sang Sock, pulling the bedsheets over the boy and tucking him in tight, “Perhaps a lullaby, my lord?”

Jonathan glared over the top of the sheets which Sock had pulled up above his nose.

“Get out of here and don’t come back unless I ask you for something,” was the muffled response.

“Nighty night! Don’t let the demons bite!” Sock flicked off the lightswitch and closed the door gently.

Outside the door he sighed heavily and floated sluggishly downstairs. He was exhausted. How was being a petty servant so much harder than trying to get someone to kill themselves?

“I can’t keep up with this,” he sighed aloud, flopping onto the living room rug.

“Awww, diddums.”

Sock sat bolt upright. A pair of yellow eyes loomed above him.

“M-Mephistopheles?” he stammered.

“Oh, so you do remember me?” Stepping out of the shadows, the devil looked menacing, despite wearing his eccentric purple velvet suit.  
Sock leapt to his feet, “Of course, h-hi Meph! Long time no see!” His hands flew up defensively and he was starting to sweat, “W-what brings you here??”

“Funny you should ask, Sock. You see I just so happened to notice that Jonny-boy wasn’t dead yet, so I thought I would check up on my favourite young demon,” he smiled, but his eyes were flashing dangerously, “And then when I saw you running errands and having a picnic with the guy you’re supposed to be killing for me I thought ‘Gee, this is a little odd’ so I look you up and boy oh boy am I surprised to learn that you’ve signed a new contract!”

With a spout of flame, a scroll appeared in mid-air and unravelled.

“Sowachowski, my boy, do you care to explain?”

Sock gulped. He glanced his eyes over the voluminous scroll. At the very bottom were the imprints of his and Jonathan’s signatures and a faintly glowing afterimage of their pinky-swear.

He forced himself to make eye-contact with a very annoyed Meph, “I… I didn’t want to. I was tricked!”

Meph put his hand to his beard in mock-wonderment, “Hmm well okay, you didn’t look very tricked when you were laughing and SHARING CHICKEN McNUGGETS!”

Sock looked at his feet, ashamed, “I…”

Meph’s rant continued in the absence of an acceptable explanation from Sock.

“Is this really what you want? I thought you wanted to kill people! Be a demon! Not flounce around, running errands, looking like a 14 year old Death Note fan drank 10 cans of Monster Zero and threw up all over you!” He cried, gesturing to Sock’s clothing.

Sock fiddled with his pleather waistcoat, blushing, “I didn’t choose to wear this!” He flustered.

Meph pinched his nose in frustration, “Well honestly, I have more pressing matters in hell to attend to,” he sighed and looked at Sock a little more sympathetically, “So I’m going to give you some leeway here. You have one week, from when this contract began, to scan this document and find a loophole or some small print or… whatever! Just find some way to get out of his contract and continue working for me.”

Sock clutched the scroll timidly, “Th-thank you… It’s just… I’m not much good at this paperwork stuff!”

Meph gave a tight smile, “Well, you have about a week! I’m sure you can do it!” He clapped Sock a little too firmly on the shoulder.

Sock’s expression did not fill the devil with much confidence.

“Hey, get this done and I’ll give you something cool. A show of no hard feelings about this little blip, how does that sound? How about a cool new power? A promotion, who knows?”

Sock brightened up, “Woah really? That would be pretty cool…”

“Excellent!” Chirped Mephistopheles, straightening up, “Oh, and if by any chance you don’t manage to get out of this contract by the end of the week…”

He turned his back to Sock and extended his hand with a flourish, igniting a ball of yellow-flame midair.

In the midst of the flames, Sock could see the screaming faces of the damned, baying hellhounds and cackling demons. He recoiled instinctively and tried to shield his eyes.

Almost as quickly as the terrifying vision materialised, it was extinguished with a flex of Meph’s fingers.

“Let’s just say it won’t end very well for you and your… friend. I’ll make sure of it.”

And with that, the devil was gone.

Sock let out a shaky sigh as he trembled above the carpet.

He clutched his heart with one hand and in the other he clutched the scroll, as if squeezing it with all his strength would somehow make him better at reading it.

“Sock!”

The demon just about leapt out of his skin.

“Stop talking to yourself! I’m tryna sleep!”

“Sorry Jonathan!” he called back to the muffled voice upstairs.

With great exhaustion, he flopped down onto the sofa and put his head in his hands for a moment. He peered through his fingers at the scroll sat innocently in his lap.

 

He had about 7 hours before Jonathan got up for school.

“No time like the present,” said Sock to himself, opening the scroll a little to reveal the first few lines of text.   
The writing was cramped and the entire contract was over 7ft long.

It was going to be a long night.


	8. The Beach Episode

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [Both](http://fav.me/dcipfto) art pieces by [katy-133](http://fav.me/dcipfoc)

Sock had read and re-read the contract countless times over the course of the night. By the time the sun rose he realised that the words weren’t being absorbed properly by his brain at all. He was so stressed from Meph’s threat, and Jonathan wasn’t exactly a pushover these days either. The little demon wasn’t a huge fan of disappointing either master.

He was in a daze as he pulled on a new outfit chosen for him by Jonathan. He looked in the dresser mirror to see himself wearing gold hotpants, a red baseball style shirt with the slogan “Daddy’s Little Monster”, intentionally distressed fishnets and the good old black combat boots.

“Shouldn’t I have some kind of consistent uniform? This just looks like a cheap cosplay…” he protested weakly.

Jonathan smirked, “Awww you don’t like it? Well, I spent all my money at Hot Topic last week... but if you do a good job on the geography trip I’ll see about getting you some new clothes.”

“Cool I guess - wait, geography trip?”

Jonathan stretched, testing out his bruised, but healing, body, “Hm, maybe I didn’t mention it. Either way, you’re carrying all my stuff.”

The teen gestured to a bulky overnight bag by his bedroom door.

Sock suppressed a groan. He hoped the trip wouldn’t interfere with his studying of the contract, which was secretly tucked underneath his hat. But there was little he could do without arousing suspicion, so he smiled to his master and scooped up the hefty bag with gusto.

“Are sure you can walk to the bus stop, my peach?” he chirped, floating through the floor.

“Oh, ha-HA,” Jonathan shouted after him sarcastically, although he was hobbling a little as he descended the stairs.

***

The weather was sunny but with a crisp spring breeze as the geography students piled off the bus and onto the shingle beach.

Jonathan shuffled off the bus followed by Sock, who could tell that this new situation was making him a little on edge. His bravado from yesterday was gone, he hung his head low like there was something interesting on the ground and stuffed his hands deep into his hoodie pockets.

“Cheer up Jonathan, we’re at the beach!” chirped Sock.

Jonathan merely let out a small grunt.

The teacher waffled on about the assignment while the kids ignored her and chattered excitedly.

“Alright, that concludes the briefing for the assignment! I need you to get into your pairs and collect the equipment you need.”

The other kids immediately clung to their besties raucously and scurried over the equipment boxes.

Leaving Jonathan stood alone, staring at the ground. Sock suddenly understood his lack of enthusiasm with a sharp pang in his dead heart.

He reached out with his hand but Jonathan stood motionless. He wanted to say something meaningful… to tell him that he was the same… no one would pick him in teams, no one in school picked him for anything. But the words were caught in his throat.

“Now ladies, I said pairs not trios!”

“But Miss Frodsham, we’re like, totally bffs!”

“No arguments. There’s still someone without a partner so one of you will have to leave this group.”

“EW, no way!”

“Like, sooooo unfair!!!!”

Jonathan seemed to shrink into himself as he overhead the conversation.

Sock tried to speak yet again, looking between his master and the group of girls in horror. Then he heard Jonathan muttering under his breath.

“Just… make it stop already…”

Although it was clearly spoken in lament of the situation, something in Sock clicked into action. It wasn’t a direct command but damn, it was close enough.

The ringleader of the group, Tiffany Bezos, a total prep and the richest girl in the world, was getting irate with the teacher.

“Miss if you don’t, like, let us stay in one group, I’m gonna like totally have a BF!”

“Young lady, mind your language! This isn’t up for debate.”

Tiffany huffed and whipped out her cell phone, “Well if you don’t mind I’m gonna just… just… leave this group and pair up with the cutest boy in school.”

“Well you can call whoever you want but - wait what?”

The teacher blinked in confusion while the prep’s cronies looked about to faint.

“Tiff, like, what the wtf did you just say?”

“Um like, enjoy your rock measuring ladies, I’m teaming up with that kid over there~”

And with that, Tiffany twirled and flounced over the shingles to Jonathan.

***

The group had dispersed leaving Jonathan and Tiffany stood by the bus.

“So, now that we’re teamed up, let’s get some rock collecting gear or, like, whatever~”

Jonathan slowly looked up from the ground at the girl stood before him. She looked like a supermodel, every thread of her clothing looked like it was worth more money than Jonathan would ever see in his life. Her coiffed blonde hair fluttered in the breeze with a waft of shampoo.

Jonathan shook himself out of his moment of shock and gritted his teeth, “Look, if you left your friends for a dare or to make fun of me, forget it. I’ll just work on my own. Go back to your gal pals.”

He turned sharply for a dramatic teenage stomp-away but he felt a tug on the sleeve of his hoodie.

He looked at the pink manicure clutching his arm to the symmetrical face that wore an iconic peach-glossed pout.

“Awww, don’t be like, like that big boy~” Tiffany lowered her diamond encrusted Gucci sunglasses to peer at Jonathan with a pair of demonic glowing green eyes.

“KNDKJKJDSBKJSGSZ SOCK!” yelped Jonathan, shaking himself free.

“Whomst else?” smirked Soffany, twirling to show off his fabulous host.

Trembling a little, Jonathan raised an accusatory hand, “I told you… I instructed you not to do that again!” he gasped.

“Well, you clearrrrrly needed some support today, and how else can I do that without being your partner?” he grabbed Jonathan’s hands, “And don’t worry about Tiff, I’ve changed my technique! She just feels like she’s sleeping, watching a beautiful dream~”

“I really don’t like this…” muttered Jonathan, “But I have rocks to categorise. Come on. The sooner we finish this dumb project the sooner I can go home.”

He removed himself from Soffany’s grasp and crunched off down the beach.

“Um like, I don’t think that’s how time works cutie~”

“And stop talking like that!”

“Like, like what??~”

***

After an arduous day categorising rock samples, Jonathan flopped onto his bed. He had the room to himself as his two ‘roommates’ had opted to sleep on the floor of their friend’s dorm rather than share with him. But that was more than fine with Jonathan who loved solitude. 

Particularly after a whole day with an overly chatty Soffany.

“At least that’s over with…”

“Helloooooooooooo~~”

“Oh God, no.”

Soffany made a dramatic entrance through the dorm room door, causing Jonathan to groan.

“Speak of the devil,” he growled.

“Not quite, sweaty :) ~” chimed Soffany, flopping next to him on the bed.

She was wearing a flattering pair of Victoria Secret pink silk pyjamas with “Tiff” embroidered in black on the breast pocket. Her hair was half-braided in a high ponytail and as she cocked a leg up Jonathan was treated to the sight of her neon pink bunny slippers with diamonds for eyes.

“Incredible.”

“Thanks!” Soffany tossed him a tin-foil package, “Me and the girls were just making lighter-smores and sharing secrets! Did you know that Jade is blackmailing the pervy gym teacher? Wild!”

Jonathan regarded the sugary treat with suspicion, “Are they not… bullying you or anything…? For spending the day with me, I mean.” He looked down ashamedly.

Soffany cackled, “Jonathan, they’re girls! They’re not gonna be mean to my face! And don’t forget, I’m loaded~”

“Sock, that piece of punctuation doesn’t mean what you think it means, and you are not Tiffany! It’s a social day tomorrow, I don’t need to be in a pair for that. You should let her go now.”

Soffany smiled devilishly, “About that, I think we should spend one last day together. How about a little bit of… retail therapy?”

Soffany reached into her breast pocket and pulled out three American Express cards (black, gold and platinum) and a wad of what looked like one-hundred dollar bills.

Jonathan found himself reflecting his servant’s smile, “You’re a bad influence.”

Soffany cackled and fanned himself with the cash wad, “I try my best. Now rest up!”

With a flounce of pink and Gucci Guilty, the demon was gone into the night.

***

In the beautiful beach-side town, Soffany and Jonathan sat sipping bubble tea indulgently on the shop front.

Stacks of bags surrounded the pair, more designer brands than I can even think of right now sorry.

Soffany was wearing four pairs of sunglasses, one over her eyes, two on her head and one folded into her blouse. Several jewelled accessories adorned her person, glittering in the bright sunlight.

Jonathan had opted for a sleeker, but just as expensive, summer look. Slick hair, white jeans, a black college jacket over a pink shirt and simple hater blockers.

“You like, look like a k-pop star,” slurped Soffany, “But, like, white.”

“Thanks,” smiled Jonathan, running his fingers through his hair, “We out of money yet?”

“Hmmm… the wad’s halfway through… and I don’t think these cards have a limit…”

“That’s kinda scary,” mused Jonathan, chewing on the straw of his matcha cream boba, “Do you think that too much money in the hands of only a few people might be like… bad?”

“Eh, hell would be empty if there were no rich dudes~”

“Deep. Let’s go get the bus.”

By throwing some bills on the ground, the pair managed to get some help from the locals to carry their bags back to the meeting point.

***

Taking up the whole back row, surrounded by piles of their belongings, the pair received a few fearful yet confused looks from the other students as they made the journey back home.

At some point, the gentle motion of the bus had lulled them into a slumber. They slumped with Soffany’s head on Jonathan’s shoulder and their heads fitting neatly together.

When the bus pulled up to Jonathan’s stop, Tiffany’s cronies reluctantly helped to unload the numerous bags and carry them to Jonathan’s doorstep.

“Time to let her go,” said Jonathan quietly into Soffany’s ear.

“Sure thing, cutie~”

Sock untangled himself carefully from Tiffany’s mind, ensuring she was in good condition just as he’d promised. 

He could feel her stirring. She was waking up from her dream.  
How much she’d remember of the school trip wasn’t clear to Sock, but it’s not like it mattered. She was just a mean girl who only cared about money after all. A little embarrassment from her so called friends might even do her some good.

With a gentle pop, like a cracked knuckle, Sock was a floating entity again, leaving Tiffany swaying on the spot like a newborn lamb.

He floated over to Jonathan and helped him to bundle their impressive haul into the house.

A few feet away, Tiffany’s minions were rubbing their sore backs and complaining in hushed tones.

“Like, for the past few days, I’ve not like, understood her at all?”

“YAH, did you see her on the bus? All cuddled up to that creepy guy…”

“Hey. Bitches.”

The girls turned before cowering in front of their leader, who looked a little confused, but still as fierce as ever.

“The creepy guy is called Jonathan and he was super fun to hang out with.”

“Uh, y-yeah sure, we were just -”

“Whatever. I’m getting picked up in the lambo if you wanna ride.”

The tall beauty strode past them down the street, taking out her cellphone casually.

“Y-yes Tiffany!” the cronies cried in unison, scurrying after their leader.

If Sock had heard this exchange it might have warmed his demonic heart a little.

But as it was, he was slack jawed in the doorway of Jonathan’s home as realisation slapped him.

He’d forgotten the read through the contract to find a loophole like Meph had ordered him to.

For two whole days.

He had four days left.


	9. It's Friday, Friday

Jonathan stood on the edge of a crumbling building in the ruined city, gazing up into a blackened sky.

A crash echoed through the clouds and a body was flung into a heap of suspended rubble.

He shielded his eyes from the dust falling from the melee.

“This is horrible,” he croaked.

“If he gives up, it’s over.”

Jonathan looked to his left in surprise. A tall red-headed man stood next to him, his neck also craned towards the sky. He was oddly dressed and seemed incongruously vibrant in these bleak surroundings.

Another cracking sound cause Jonathan to snap his eyes back to the sky.

A blur of green light, still fighting, still being beaten back.

“Sock…?” he whispered fearfully.

“Hey kid, you like to dabble in black magic huh? Well maybe we could sort something out… change this situation of yours.”

Teary eyed, Jonathan tore his eyes from the destruction and grabbed hold of the mystery man. His palms burnt as they made contact with the fabric of his purple suit.

“Can I really change how this ends?”

The man looked down at last and made eye contact with him, his eyes a fearfully piercing yellow. He smiled but his teeth were too sharp, and his eyes were so unkind.

“Of course you can, Jonny boy! Just make a contract with me… and become a Magical Girl!”

***

Jonathan shot upright in bed, panting and sweating like a weeb at a summer comic con.

He examined his hands frantically, still feeling as though they’d been burnt. They were mark free, so he grasped his face and forehead, rubbing up and down over his eyes.

“What a… crazy dream,” he gasped, his breathing calming down.

The sun streamed through his curtains. He was up before Sock could wake him for the first time he could remember.

Jonathan tended to have restless nights, his sleep interrupted by nightmares. It caused him to sleep in late and have a foul mood all day.

But in this case, he was glad to be up early. He felt productive.

He pushed the odd dream to the back off his mind and jumped into the shower.

This was gonna be a great Friday.

***

“What a lousy start to Friday!” growled Mephistopheles, slamming his office door behind him and throwing himself into his leather office chair.

Although dream walking was never his strong suit, that was truly an abysmal display.

Not entirely trusting Sock’s capability in the literacy department, Meph had hoped to do a little meddling behind the scenes.

He didn’t like that Jonathan had stepped on his toes. Poaching employees right from under his nose. Who did that kid think he was?

Interfering with his dreams and convincing him to break the contract himself should have been straightforward.

But Jonathan’s mind was like a labyrinth, a mess of hormones and teenage angst. When he’d finally found his way in, the narrative of the dream had overpowered him.

“What kind of messed up TV shows is this kid watching, anyway??” huffed Meph in defeat, flipping a stack of papers off his desk onto the floor in frustration.

The devil realised that he was the only one available to clean the mess up and thumped his forehead onto the desk.

***

The servant and his master made their way through the school gates. Jonathan has used his extra time and boost of energy this morning to plan their outfits.

He had chosen a few eye-catching pieces from their shopping haul for himself. He wore an intricate black leather strap body piece over a black t-shirt, a sharp blue blazer and matching trousers. An expensive chain hung around his neck, twinned with a leather choker.

By his side, Sock tugged nervously at the hem of his skirt. He was decked out in an adorable lolita co-ord. Over a white lace petticoat he wore a midnight blue dress that sparkled with a moon and stars motif, cinched with a yellow ribbon. He had white knee socks, black heels and had been stripped, reluctantly, of his hat. His wild hair had been partially tamed with black ribbons.

“Come on, I worked hard on these looks,” pouted Jonathan mockingly.

Sock rolled his green eyes, “I can’t lie, I feel cute as heck.”

He twirled mid-air to emphasise his point.

Jonathan suppressed a chuckle.

“Nice outfit.”

The pair froze in their tracks and turned.

Chad towered over them.

“What’re you gawping at? I gave you a compliment.”

“Uh Chad, um, h-how are you doing?” said Jonathan, his mouth suddenly dry.

“I’m fine thank you!”

Jonathan blinked, looking upwards into Chad’s smiling face. Was he actually… being genuine?

Chad blinked and looked away a little, seemingly a little uncomfortable with Jonathan’s confused staring.

Sock looked between the two indignantly. Chad looked like a shy schoolgirl, it was ridiculous!

The school bell rang out, conveniently breaking the tension.

“Well, see you in class bro!” smiled Chad, hurrying away to fall into line with his sports buddies.

“That was… weird,” mused Jonathan, walking into the school.

Sock huffed audibly.

“What?” Jonathan asked raising an eyebrow, “Wait, you didn’t do anything to him while you were… in there, did you? Make him nicer or anything?”

Sock rolled his eyes.

“No, unfortunately. That’s all Chad. The real Chad,” he said dryly.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Sock shook himself, changing his expression forcibly.

“Nevermind, you’ll be late, master!” chirped Sock, guiding the taller boy through his homeroom door.

He’d lost his cool a little there and felt kinda dumb for it.

What did he care if Chad had a crush on his boss?

And the other kids at school being nicer to him was a good thing right?

And besides, he had work to do today. Way too much work to do.

He slunk out of sight below Jonathan’s desk and pulled the rolled up contract from the voluminous folds of his petticoat.

He needed a clear head to read this thing. He tried to push Chad to the back of his mind. He tried not to think of why this bothered him so much in the first place.

Sock slapped his cheeks a few times and glared his green eyes at the tiny writing. It was time to focus.


	10. You Can't Sit With Us

After two brain-numbing periods, it was finally time for lunch.

The pair entered the cafeteria and Sock set about picking up a fabulous meal for his master.

“Grab the goods and let’s go,” said Jonathan quietly, eyeing the rowdy hoards of hungry students with unease.

With a tray laden with nugs and other goods, the pair sought to make a swift exit.  
“Hey, Jonathan! Like, over here!”

Stopped in their tracks, they turned to see the queen bee and her loyal followers at their table.

Tiffany was waving at him.

“Nooo nonononono,” breathed Jonathan, his eyes wide.

“Hey, come sit with us!” Tiffany’s smile was kind and effortlessly cool.

“Come on, Jonathan, this is my chance to catch up with the girls!” teased Sock, flipping his hair out of his eyes.

“I guess we have no choice,” murmured Jonathan, making his way to the bitch table, “Saying no to Tiffany Bezos would be social suicide.”

“Huh, suicide? Sounds great,” Sock smirked devilishly.

Jonathan had no time for a witty retort as he shuffled onto the bench opposite Tiffany.

“Like, how’s it going? I was just telling these bitches how much fun we had yesterday,” Tiffany winked.

“Uh, yeah, it was great,” Jonathan looked a little confused.

“That outfit looks fabulous on you btw~”

“Y-yeah, I mean, thanks for buying it for me I guess,” he smiled back. How did this girl remember so much?

Sock looked equally confused. He was sure Tiffany looked right at him when she mentioned the outfit. But she couldn’t have!

“Oh em gee like yah you look great!” Tiff’s fangirls chimed in, cooing over Jonathan. It seemed as soon as the rich girl showed her favour, her cronies followed enthusiastically.

Tiffany leaned in, her gold hoops sparkling.

“So, like, anyway, keep it on the down-low but my dumb dad is away this weekend,” started Tiff, her eyes flashing.

“And like, we were gonna throw an awesome party!!”

“ShhhhhhhUT up, Jade,” hissed Tiffany, causing the girl to cower, “But like anyway yah. You’ll come right? Hanging out with you was a blast.”

Jonathan looked around in surprise at the hopeful eyes of the girls.

“Also, Chad’s gonna be there,” mused Tiffany, pretending to be uninterested by admiring her manicure.

“What’s that got to do with it??” exclaimed Sock, forgetting himself.

He swore he saw Tiffany smirk a little.

Jonathan laughed nervously, “Either way, sure I’ll come. It’s not like I’m doing anything else…”

“YASSSSSSS~~~~” cried the girls in a screeching symphony.

“Super, see you Sunday.”

Jonathan took his que to leave the table, “Uhh thanks guys, I guess.”

“Wear something cute~!” she called after him.

Sock pulled a face at Tiffany who turned immediately and locked eyes with him.

“Aww don’t look so moody, it was just, like, a joke~” she mock pouted.

Sock blinked in surprise.

“W-wuh?”

“W w w w wuh I can see you dummy~” smirked Tiffany.

“No way, but you’re a - “

“Guess again,” she smiled, “You can’t possess a demon. I let you hitch a ride though, for the lols.”

Sock was flabbergasted. For the whole school trip she was just allowing Sock to use her body? Why?

“What can I say, I loveeee to stir things up a little. Don’t worry about it too much. See you Sunday~”

She waved him away with her bejewelled hand.

Sock realised that Jonathan had left the cafeteria and hurried away from the table.

So Tiffany was a demon all along. He shouldn’t be surprised, she was a rich girl after all. But what she said about the party made him a little nervous. What did she mean by ‘stirring things up’?

He couldn’t let that distract him now. He only had a few days left to focus on breaking the contract before Meph came for him.

It wouldn’t be wise to disappoint the devil.

***

By 3pm, Sock had a plan. It wasn’t a great plan, but gosh diddly dang darn it was something!

He’d scoured the contract every moment that Jonathan’s attention was diverted. Most of it was words he didn’t understand and legal jargon that may as well have been latin (which he was sure some of the phrases were). 

But in the small print there were a few terms and conditions that he was sure Jonathan wasn’t aware of. Nobody reads those things anyway. One of which was that all human souls are the true property of Beelzebezos. Disappointing for Sock, but hardly surprising. Not that is would affect his superficial ownership of Jonathan’s soul, even though that didn’t matter now that he was trying to return into Mephistopheles’ emploi.

Another more promising condition of the contract stated that a demon could request dismissal on the blood moon. If the master agreed, the pact would be broken, the human would keep their soul and the demon would be entitled to a small reparation repayment from hell’s finance department, based on their length of service.

And based on a cheeky google search, the next blood moon was this Sunday!

It was cutting it close, but it was well within Meph’s deadline.

All Sock had to do was worry about how he was going to convince Jonathan, who seemed to be quite sadistic in his enjoyment of being a master, to allow Sock to stop being his servant.

And he certainly was worried.

He eyed Jonathan closely as they caught the bus home.

“I have a looooot of homework this week. With the trip I’ve kinda fallen behind… and with the party on Sunday I’m pretty strapped for time…” Jonathan sighed, gazing out of the steamed up window.

Sock looked closely at the boy. He’d been trying to get into his psyche for quite some time. He felt like he knew him intimately. But something clearly evaded even his expansive understanding of Jonathan.

“Good thing I have a willing servant for these kind of things, eh?”

Sock was moving closer, looking more intently. It was frustrating. The one thing he could never seem to figure out and now he needed it more than anything.

“What is it that you WANT?”

“Uhhh, I just wanted you to do my homework?”

Sock realised he was just an inch from Jonathan’s face, as he looked up at him in absolute confusion. He also realised that he hadn’t been listening to a word his master said for the whole bus ride.

“Um yes! Of course, anything!” he stammered, trying to look normal. If he was acting weird, Jonathan might suspect he was up to something.

Jonathan smirked, “Well, as you’re so eager…” he dumped a sack of heavy books onto the demon, “You can start as soon as we get home.”

Trying not to groan, he realised he now had to do a bunch of homework as well as figure out a way to get Jonathan to agree to ending their contract.


	11. Am I More Than You Bargained For Yet?

After his disturbed sleep the night before and a long day at school, all Jonathan really wanted was a dreamless night’s sleep.

Once Sock had finished off his homework (the accuracy of said homework was yet to be seen), he’d instructed the demon to make his bedroom up to be the perfect environment for a deep sleep. He’d been up there, clattering about for at least an hour whilst Jonathan glanced through the papers. The quality of the homework did not fill him with confidence.

“All done my lord,” said Sock a with a bow towards his masters bedroom.

“Did you run out of dumb nicknames?” he laughed at Sock’s usual theatrics.

He was quite intrigued to see what he’d been busy doing up there all this time.

Sock had slipped up through the floor, back into the bedroom as Jonathan climbed the stairs.

He approached the door, which was closed. Sock was suspiciously quiet in there. Jonathan was starting to fill with anticipation.

He gently opened the door.

“SURPRISE!”

Jonathan’s super plain and stereotypically grey teenage boy bedroom had been completely transformed.

The whole room glowed with a gentle peachy light that emitted from several novelty night-lights which took the shape of stars, clouds and unicorns.

It seemed that his walls had been repainted into a dark purple gradient, vajazzled with many hand painted stars and planets that were encrusted with tiny acrylic gemstones which sparkled silver in the dim light.

He now had a fluffy black and white checked carpet that was so soft under his bare feet that he felt as though he were walking through thick warm grass.

If his jaw were not agape he would have considered asking how the little demon painted a whole bedroom and laid down a new carpet in a mere hour.

As he breathed in, his nose was filled with the calming scent of lavender.

He stepped toward the bed and had to duck under several crystal hangings that laced across the ceiling. There were yellow stars and blue teardrops that twinkled like a calming rain.

The bed itself was completely different than before. It was now a dark wood four poster with warm coloured drapings and gold tassels. A checkered quilt of many kitschy fabrics was covering the bed and there were numerous plush pillows of clashing materials and colours. It was ugly, so ugly, the literal antithesis of all his tastes, but at the same time the visual softness was unbearably appealing.

“So… do you like it?”

He’d been unaware of Sock, who had been watching his reaction hungrily from the doorway.

Jonathan turned to look at him, his eyes sparkling, “It’s perfect,” he smiled.

“Oh you!” Sock laughed, fanning himself coyly, “I kinda went away from your usual goth slash spooky emo style... or whatever you are.”

Jonathan looked around again at the sugary sweet surroundings, “You could say that. But it’s nice. It’s kinda like a little kid’s room… or a princess’s…”

“Yes! Princess! That’s what I was going for! Anyway, here’s your jammies.”

Sock handed a beautiful set of pyjamas to his master.

Jonathan held them up and admired the fabric with his fingers. They were purple silk with stars and other details embroidered in gold thread.

“I’m gonna look like a magician,” he said, not without good humour.

“The most handsome bedtime magician!” chimed Sock, “Also, there’s a camomile tea on your nightstand.”

“Thank you, Sock,” even though he knew the demon was contractually obliged to do as he commanded, Jonathan couldn’t help but feel truly touched by the effort and attention to detail.

“Good night, Jonathan,” smiled Sock, closing the bedroom door slowly behind him.

Alone in the twee, yet innocently beautiful room, Jonathan slipped into the pyjamas.

The fabric was cool on his skin which was a nice contrast to the warmth from the delicate china teacup he clutched in his hands.

As he slipped into the plush bed he suddenly felt in his bones how tired he was.

In a normal day he would barely talk to anyone. All he ever had to worry about was how to best slip into the background and avoid talking to teachers.

But recently he’d been around Sock all the time and now he was in charge they’d been speaking to each other near constantly. And because of Sock there were kids at school who liked him. Who talked to him like he was just another normal school kid and not an outcast.

These interactions made him tired, but as he sunk into a soft, peach-quilted sleep he considered drowsily that these changes could be… actually… making him… happy…

***  
Sock considered all the things he’d learnt about Jonathan in the time he’d known him.

He liked music, he liked solitude, he liked hoodies… and now it seemed he liked more hardcore gothic stuff like dark magic and having a demonic servant.

He didn’t like crowds, he struggled to sleep, he was moody.

What could he offer a guy like this? What could Sock bribe him with to get him to break the contract?

He was hovering quietly outside of his master’s bedroom door. The answer wasn’t clear at all, even though he felt he knew Jonathan quite well.

He didn’t have much time to figure something out. The blood moon was on Sunday. His elation at finally finding a loophole in their contract was now quashed by worry.

It had been a couple of hours since he bade Jonathan goodnight. He seemed to have fallen right asleep.

Sock felt strangely happy… seeing genuine gratitude on Jonathan’s face and knowing he’d done a good job. He smiled to himself before catching his face heating up. He put his hands to his cheeks. Why did thinking of Jonathan’s smile make him blush?

Something snapped him out of his confusion and he looked instinctively at Jonathan’s bedroom door.

Was some kind of noise? Something wasn’t right.

He’d been forbidden from disturbing Jonathan’s sleep tonight. But a peek couldn’t hurt.

He slipped his head through the door.

The room was quiet. The ambience was right. The light was warm, peachy and barely there (like my bum).

He saw Jonathan wriggle and turn to face him suddenly. It was then Sock heard a little mumble from the teenager. He now noticed in the gentle light that his eyes were screwed tight shut as if in pain and he was sweating slightly.

“Oh no,” whispered Sock.

Jonathan was having a nightmare!

He pushed his whole body through the door to be at his master’s bedside. He wouldn’t have been able to wake him if he tried, a direct command couldn’t be ignored by a demon servant, after all.

He looked down fearfully at his contorted face. He kept mumbling and twitching. Clenching his fists.

“Mm… n- no… no…” he croaked.

Sock wanted to pat him awake but his hand wouldn’t move past a certain point.

“Help… me…”

Like a switch turned on in his mind, Sock felt like he could move again. If Jonathan knew what he was about to do, he’d be furious. But in this state, he’d asked for help, and Sock knew exactly what he had to do.

He’d be in and out before either of them knew it.

“Okay,” said Sock, flexing himself, his green eyes glowing brightly, “Time to fight a nightmare.”

***  
He hadn’t tried anything like this before. Possession was one thing, using another’s eyes to look out onto the world and controlling their body. But Sock was now inside Jonathan’s mind. He was alone in a dark void.

“Very gothic,” Sock let out a breath he didn’t realise he was holding.

He looked down at himself and admired his own lurid green glow, the only light in this place.

Turning his head around in every direction, he floated forwards, trying to spot any clue as to where Jonathan might be. Or where his nightmare was. There was no way to see the right direction. He couldn’t tell if he was moving left, right, up or down.

“This place would be great for a short animated film.”

His voice echoed, startling him.

Suddenly, even though he was stood still in place, the space around him started to move. As if he’d been overheard, he rapidly flew through a series of dramatic and unique arches and doorways, all one after another, increasing in speed until there was just a bright blur surrounding him, causing him to shield his eyes.

A final arch and a pair of great wooden doors lurched towards him, swinging open at the last second.

Sock had found the location of Jonathan’s nightmare. Or perhaps it had found him.

***  
Sock was in Jonathan’s living room. Well, something in the shape of Jonathan’s living room but decked out in a much more sugary palette.

Literally. There were candies and bonbons decorated around the place, eggshell blue, peach and baby pink hues. The fabrics seemed softer. If Sock didn’t float he would have sunk straight into the thickness of the warm mint carpet.

Jarringly, in the centre of the room, was a hunched silhouette, backlit by a harsh blue light.

Sock floated alongside the figure, that did not move or acknowledge his presence.

Sat on the carpet was a little boy, maybe seven or nine years old, staring vacantly into the blue screen of a clunky old laptop.

It was obvious to Sock that this was a young Jonathan.

He opened his mouth to speak but was cut off.

“Mom’s not here. Dad’s not here. They never are. Ever. Ever. Ever.”

“Ugh… thanks, not creepy at all… do you know… where Jonathan is?”

“I’m upstairs.”

Sock straightened up and eyed the little boy suspiciously. He never moved to look at him or make eye contact.

He backed away and up the stairs.

The sugary decor continued up to Jonathan’s bedroom.

Sock shivered.

The closer he got to the door, the more he felt the warmth drain from his body.

“Jonathan… are you in there?” he called out nervously, clasping the doorknob.

It creaked open.

The room was like ice, and coated in sombre hues, a stark contrast to the rest of the house.

Sat on the bed, his back to the door and his head in his hands was his master.

“Jonathan! There you are!”

The figure jumped up with a start and turned to him. He looked shaken.

“Sock! What’re you doing in here?!”

“You were having a nightmare and I came to help you out!” Sock exclaimed.

Jonathan smiled, “Oh yeah?”

“I know, I know, but don’t worry about it, I’ve seen Inception like 10 times so we can just…”

“Sock.”

A voice hissed shakily behind him, causing the demon to freeze.

“Hey. Don’t look,” Jonathan smiled at him again.

“Sock… get away from it…”

Sock felt his neck retreat into his shoulders.

Jonathan smiled a beguiling smile. But his eyes were as cold as the room around him.

Sock had to look.

He gulped and whipped his head 180 like an owl.

Behind him, crouched in the corner by the open door was Jonathan. He was trembling and his eyes were wild, glancing feverishly between Sock and the smiling Jonathan. He was pressed against the wall in such a way as to be as far away from the doppelganger as possible.

Taking in this scene and the fearful eyes of his master, he whipped back around.

The other Jonathan was still smiling, his smile a little too wide now, his limbs a little too long, his teeth a little too sharp.

Sock threw his head back dramatically, “OHHH how will I possibly know who is the REAL Jonatha -”

“Shut up, idiot,” growled the menacing Jonathan, “I know the gig is up.”

Sock backed away a little, but the bedroom door slammed shut of its own accord. He angled himself in front of the real Jonathan.

“I was just beating up this loser, but I can spare some for you too.”

“Uhhhh maybe not, I think we’re gonna leave now…”

Fakeathan cackled, extending a freakish arm and wrapping his claws around Sock’s throat.

“I don’t think so. There’s only room here for one demon and that’s ME. I am Jonathan’s own personal demon.”

Choking under the pressure on his neck, he rolled his eyes to look at Jonathan, “Dang, I didn’t know you were into this kinda thing -”

With a sudden whipping motion, Fakathan flung Sock out of the bedroom window and into the void.

Grabbing Jonathan by his hoodie, he jumped out after the demon.

***

Crash-landing on a floating rock in the dark void, Sock picked himself up with a groan.

High above, he saw Jonathan’s home floating on a rock, the shattered glass of the window floating in orbit around it.

Between the rocks hung thick rusty chains in all directions, and sections of the void seemed to be torn open, revealing a black and white checkered pattern in the tattered open spaces.

Fakeathan landed gracefully on a parallel rock, dangling Jonathan by the scruff of his hoodie and grinning a menacing grin.

“Hey Jonathan, why does it look like a 2008 vocaloid music video in here?” Sock coughed, rubbing his ribcage.

Jonathan was struggling weakly against the monster’s grip, “It… was… a phase!” he grunted.

“ENOUGH talking,” growled Fakeathan, tossing Jonathan over his shoulder like a spent up chicken leg.

“Oof,” grunted Jonathan, landing thirty feet away on another convenient floating rock.

“Let’s do this so I can get back to business.”

 

Fakeathan squared up to Sock, towering over the little demon.

“If you insist,” said Sock shakily, forming a ball of green energy between his two hands.

With a cackle, Fakeathan leapt forward with outstretched claws.


	12. Seduce Me 2: The Demon War

The smoke cleared slowly.

Fragments of rock hung in the air all around, green flames licking the ruins.

Fakeathan’s claws closed around Sock’s skinny neck.

“Had enough?”

Jonathan crawled to the edge of his platform and peered over fearfully.

Sock was in trouble and it was all this fault.

“You’d be fine if it weren’t for me…” he whispered.

“Ahahaha, that’s right loser. Everything that goes wrong in your shitty life is your fault. Anybody who comes near you is cursed!”

Weakly, Sock grasped the doppelganger’s arm.

“Jonathan… the reason I can’t beat him… he’s you! He’s just a part of you!”

“Shut up, nerd!” the fake slammed the demon into the ground.

Jonathan blinked tears out of his eyes, “What?”

“This is your dream… it’s in your mind! You control this place! Why else… why else would everything be so emo?”

“No!”

“Especially this guy!” Sock choked, “Who else’s personal demons would be so angsty!”

Jonathan blinked and stood up, coming to a realisation.

“I’ve been pretty dumb…”

Fakeathan growled and looked away from Sock to the boy behind him.

“Why have I been beating myself up all this time?”

“No!” roared Fakeathan, letting go of Sock to face the boy, “You’re a loser! You’re nothing! You’re NOT MEEEEE!”

“Sock,” said Jonathan with a smile of authority, “You have permission to kick my ass.”

The demon laughed and dusted himself off, “Wait, you said ‘kiss’ right?”

“For the last time, no!”

Fakeathan cowered, looking between the two, “You wretched losers…”

“Aw well, god loves a trier,” smirked Sock, charging up an attack.

“No! Nooooooooo!”

The void flooded with a brilliant green light. Fakeathan’s screams distorted as he was torn apart.

Jonathan sighed shakily and closed his eyes as the light washed over his body.

***

The sun streamed in through the curtains. Jonathan felt a small weight at the foot of his bed.

“Sleep well?”

“Mmmmn. What time is it?”

“It’s midday.”

“Pretty well then. All things considered,” he rubbed his face with both hands to unstick his eyelids.  
“Dang well, that beauty sleep is working for ya!”

Jonathan laughed exasperatedly. After all that, Sock was back to joking around already.

“...Thank you, Sock. I--”

“Don’t worry about it! It’s in the job description, ain’t it?”

Jonathan sat up, “I’m serious. I put you in a lot of danger. I was too scared and dumb to see I was doing this to myself..”

“No! It’s not your fault. You’ve got some stuff in your noodle. That’s it. We all do! Me especially! It makes you feel like you gotta keep it all to yourself or it’s gonna spread to other people. But that’s not how it works. We’re all already like this. Hating yourself doesn’t fix anything!”

Jonathan blinked in surprise.

“Jonathan, the truth is… I helped you because…”

Jonathan frowned and looked into Sock’s eyes. The demon faltered when their eyes met and he looked away.

“Because I… I wanted to! If I didn’t have to wait for you to ask for my help, I would have done it sooner.”

The demon pouted and looked at the floor, arms folded.

Jonathan breathed out a breath he didn’t realise he’d been holding.

“Then just let me thank you, ya goof!” he laughed, thumping his servant on the shoulder.

Sock cracked a smile, “What’re you offering?”

Jonathan stroked his chin in mock thought, “Hmmm, well for today you can be on light duties. There will be no nightmare-brawling tonight either. Just make some whale noises until I fall asleep or something.”

“Can do, boss!” laughed Sock, imitating a whale dramatically.

“Hmm, perhaps not.”

He threw the bedcovers off himself and stretched.

“Today we need to think about what we’re wearing at the party tomorrow,” he sighed.

“I’ll prepare a pep talk,” laughed Sock.


	13. Surprise! At The Soirée

Bing-bong.

The two boys stood nervously in front of the towering wrought iron gates of the Bezos mansion.

Jonathan, wearing a dapper midnight blue tuxedo, let out a shaky sigh, “I can’t believe I’m doing this…”

“Neither can I…” murmured Sock quietly. He was thinking more of his plan for tonight’s Blood Moon than the party.

After all that had happened between them, Sock couldn’t think of a single thing that Jonathan would want enough to break the contract with him. So he was just going to come out and ask. No tricks.

“Ha! At least no one can see you!” chuckled Jonathan, referring to the awkward social situation of the impending party.

BUZZT.

The gates creaked a little as they slid apart, revealing the magnificent pathway up to the mansion, which burnt with brilliant pinks and oranges cast by the setting sun.

The pair made their way up tentatively.

“Such a shame no one can see me!” Sock twirled mid-air.

His colours matched Jonathan’s tux perfectly. His dress was blue lace with black trim, something like a marie-antoinette style but with a high collar tied with a black cravat and blue rose in the centre. Delicate gold chains wove themselves between points on the garment, causing him to glitter slightly as he moved.

He was once again without his hat, but today he had black cat ears sticking out of the mess of his hair. He also had a matching black tail because why not.

Jonathan admired his handiwork, his nerves seeming to ease a little.

Sock saw his smiling eyes and it warmed his heart. With a pang he had a sudden thought… would this be the last outfit he had to wear for Jonathan?

Before he could dwell on that thought any longer, he realised they were at Tiffany’s front door.

It was huge, dark oak with a brass knocker set in a white stone arch.

As Jonathan reached out to knock, it swung open suddenly.

“OH EM GEEE, like, you came!”

Tiffany bounced in the doorway, her coiffed blonde hair sparkling. She wore a beautiful bubblegum pink furby pelt dress with glittering gold accessories.

“And you both look SO cute~”

Jonathan looked half-puzzled as his stunned brain tried to catch up with what she’d just said, but before he knew it, the billionairess had clawed him into her home.

“Omg hi Jonathan!”

“Yah, hi Jonathan!”

Tiffany’s over-eager cronies pounced on the newcomer at the soonest opportunity. Sock could barely see his nervously sweating master amidst the gaggle of girls.

Looking around the busy hallway packed with rich and popular teenagers, Sock admired the mansion. The interior mixed the dramatic gothique structure of the building with warm contemporary colours.

There was a low-level thumping of current music from a speaker system high overhead, which mixed pleasantly with the chattering of the party goers.

“Impressive, right?”

Sock whirled around and was met by Tiffany’s icy blue eyes.

“Yeah, great what the souls of the damned can buy in this kind of market!” laughed Sock, keeping his cool.

“Hey, don’t talk about my dad’s employees that way!” she mock pouted, “I just want everyone to have a great time tonight…”

Her eyes flicked upwards over Sock’s shoulder, causing him to turn and look instinctively.

On the sloping stairway stood a group of kids socialising and holding red solo cups.

Amongst them he recognized Chad, albeit a very smart looking Chad in a black tuxedo, stood looking down transfixed, the only one not joining in with the groups chattering.

Gritting his teeth, he realised that Chad was staring at Jonathan.

“Ahh, this is gonna be sooo much fun~” Tiff sighed wistfully.

Sock forced a smile, “It sure is, I’m gonna make sure Jonathan has a really great time.”

Tiffany looked through the tall windows at the vanishing sunlight, “Oh I’m sure you will. After all, the blood moon will make us both a little more potent.”

“What do you mean?”

Tiffany laughed haughtily, “Oh, you don’t know much do you? Well, you’ll be glad you wore that gorgeous outfit because you’ll be solid and permanently visible to everyone very soon. And don’t forget all your other stuff, possession, persuasion, it’s gonna be super powerful.”

Sock blinked, thrown off by her demeanor, “I didn’t think you’d like the competition…?”

“Competition? Against me? Oh sweetie, no,” she laughed again and looked over at Chad once more, “You on the other hand… might want to think about making the first move~”

Sock gulped, “I don’t know… w-what you -”

“Come on! This is my party, give me some entertainment, geez,” with a hair flip she began to walk away.

Sock looked desperately between Tiffany, Chad and Jonathan.

Tiffany certainly knew how to stir things up.

***

After 30 minutes that felt like an eternity, Jonathan scrabbled for an excuse to pry himself away from the fawning group of girls.

“Gee, I could really use a drink,” he laughed nervously, his eyes flitting around for an escape route.  
“Yah, like, let’s go get some punch!”

A couple of Tiffany’s cronies took Jonathan by the hand and led him through the crowd of party goers.

The teenagers were laughing and bobbing to the enchanting beat of Toxic by Britney Spears.

Through a grand archway and into the grand hall, Jonathan was led to a magnificent buffet table.

Though the decor of the room was devilishly elegant, the spread was standard fare for teens. There were eclairs, french fancies, cocktail sausages, mini sausage rolls, one of those pineapple and cheese hedgehogs, a prawn ring, all stretched out on the huge centre table.

The centrepiece of the table was a large stone gargoyle that continuously barfed a translucent red liquid into a glass punch bowl.

“Wow?” was all Jonathan could muster as the two preppy girls filled a few solo cups with the drink.

“Like, here you go~” Jade passed one over to him.

“Uh, what is it?” he asked, daring to sniff the cup cautiously. It smelt like pear drops mixed with nail varnish remover.

Samantha took a swig, “Idk, it tastes like monster and schnapps?”

Jade gulped some down and looked satisfied, “Mmm, it’s good, it’s like strawberry calpol!”

Jonathan eyed the cup incredulously. Sock was nowhere to be seen to help him out of this. The girls watched him excitedly as he took a big gulp. A shudder ran down his body but the aftertaste was good.

“Like… uh… hack - a liquid jolly rancher?” he coughed, wiping his mouth.

The cronies clapped with glee.

“That’s the spirit~” Tiffany appeared suddenly by the table and popped a mini sausage roll in her mouth.

“Great party Tiff~!”

“Yah, it’s such a great party, Tiff~!”  
Tiffany waved the girl’s compliments away with her sparkling nails, “Oh you guyssss~”

“Uh, thanks for inviting me, Tiffany,” Jonathan said, the drink warming his stomach.

Tiffany smirked sweetly, “Anytime, you are such fun~ Can’t wait for things to heat up tonight~”

Jonathan smiled nervously and sipped his drink, not being great at small talk. He looked around the hall for a topic, “Your house is awesome too.”

“Oh em geee, thank you, stahppp, noooo, thank youuuu~” Tiffany gushed.

The sky outside the tall gothic windows was a midnight blue, beginning to tint softly with rose coloured moonlight.

Tiffany noticed Jonathan looking out of the windows and she smiled slyly. The Blood Moon was nearly here.

“Come on, let’s hit the dancefloor~!” chirped the cronies, grabbing Jonathan and clearing a path for Tiffany to the great ebony floor space beneath a glittering chandelier.


	14. What's the Word Count?

A group of teens all congregated to dance to Just Dance by Lady Gaga.

“I looove this song!” squeed Samantha.

“Like, I knowww, it’s so retro~!”

Jonathan tried his best to bop along with the music but he honestly wasn’t used to listening to music that wasn’t through his headphones and dancing was way out of his comfort zone.

As the crowd increased and Tiffany’s dancing became more wild, Jonathan took it as a great time to robot his way off the dancefloor.

He’d nearly broken free when he side-stepped into what felt like a brick wall.

“Oof,” said the brick wall.

“Excuse me, sorry,” said Jonathan, looking up.

It was Chad, dun dun dunnn.

Jonathan flinched instinctively before remembering that the last time they spoke they had been on good terms.

“Uh, hi, Jonathan,” said Chad, nervously.

“Oh, uh, hey,” said Jonathan, clutching his solo cup defensively.

“Wow, they actually tricked you into drinking that garbage?” Chad laughed, “Wanna go get a beer?”

It was Jonathan’s turn to laugh, “You seriously think beer tastes any good?”

“Y-yeah! Well, you get used to it…”

“Used to drinking moldy damp wheat? Sure buddy(!)”

“I’m not your buddy, pal(!)”

After two minutes stuck in a seemingly unending loop, a passing teen bumped Jonathan and broke the curse.

Jonathan tripped over his dress shoes and stumbled forward, causing Chad to catch him in his meaty arms.

Jonathan looked up to see a blushing, sweaty Chad.

In the background, Tiffany smiled triumphantly and snapped her fingers.

The music changed suddenly from Eminem - Without Me to George Michael - Careless Whisper.

***

Sock had forgotten how hard is was to be solid.

Just as Tiffany had said, as soon as the light of the blood moon shone through the windows, Sock was solid. He thumped weightily to the ground, causing the teenagers stood around to pass out from the shock of seeing a beautiful boy materialise suddenly, breaking all the known laws of the universe.

Unable to float and pass through objects or people, Sock stomped around clumsily, looking for Jonathan.

He struggled through the crowds, occasionally asking the teens if any of them had seen Jonathan. Nobody seemed to know who he was, with him being a recluse and all.

He stumbled into the grand hall and saw the dancefloor.

“Pff, no way he’s gonna be in here,” he laughed and turned to move away.

Then the crowd of slow dancers parted, making room for the star couple.

Sock nearly threw up in his mouth when he saw Jonathan… slow dancing?? To Careless Whisper?? With - 

No way.

He was dancing with Chad??

Time slowed down for a moment. He saw each detail of Jonathan’s face, a little confused, a little shy, as he tried awkwardly not to step on Chad’s feet.

Chad’s face was beet-red, but he laughed and said something quietly to Jonathan, causing them both to giggle. One hand moved down to Jonathan’s waist.

A teen bumped forcefully into Sock, drenching him with the foul contents of a red solo cup.

“Sorry man,” slurred the kid, stumbling off.

Sock blinked, trying to process what he was seeing.

“Where were you~” giggled Tiffany, slyly.

Sock looked at her, too shocked to be angry.

“Oh well… looks like Jonathan is having fun without you~” she flounced back onto the dancefloor, leaving Sock speechless.

“I told you to make a move~ Help yourself to a change of clothes!”

Sock looked down at himself. His dress was soaked and took on a dirty red hue.

Swallowing down his feelings he whirled and stormed out of the hall.

Below the noise, Jonathan let go of Chad just as he saw Sock leaving.

Tiffany laughed and clapped her hands in delight.


	15. Very Nice And Gay

“So like this, right?” said Chad, stepping backwards lightly.

“How would I know, I’ve got about as much experience as you!” laughed Jonathan, trying not to step on the jock’s feet.

“Thanks for this bro… I feel a lot better about asking Steve to dance now…”

“Hey man, don’t mention it,” smiled Jonathan, looking up at Chad’s flushed face.

“No really! I’ve been a real jerk to you. You’re a good guy.”

Jonathan laughed, a little flustered by the compliment and looked away into the crowd.

Just in time, he saw Sock running away from the dance floor looking really upset and a little damp.

“Sorry to cut the lesson short, I gotta go find my friend!”

Chad smiled, “I think I’m ready now, sensei!”

They both looked over to the punch table where they saw a huge burly art kid with a beard.

“Go get ‘em, tiger!” laughed Jonathan as he scuttled away off the dancefloor.

***

Sock flopped down onto the super king sized bed with silk sheets that he found in the first room he stormed dramatically into after trudging up the centre staircase.

Face-down, he tried to sigh but got a feather sucked up his nose, causing him to roll over coughing.

“Ugh, what’s wrong with me!” he lamented, wriggling out of his damp dress.

“They were just hanging out! And what does it matter to me anyway!”

He continued to chunner and monologue to himself as he got cleaned up and entered the walk in closet.

“I have more important things to focus on tonight, why the heck does any of this matter to me anyway!”

As he rifled through the neatly hung clothes, he considered the churning in his stomach and the stabbing in his heart. Was it because he was solid? It had to be, right? But he was still a demon. Demons don’t… feel things like that, do they?

He grabbed out an outfit without even paying attention to what it was and threw it on.

He tried to smooth his wild hair down with his fingers and the palms of his hands.

Sock sighed heavily as he clacked out of the room in his fancy dress shoes.

He needed to talk to Jonathan as soon as possible, but when he thought about going back to that dancefloor his stomach did a painful somersault.

Staying on the 2nd floor, he whirled and marched through the rooms to try and clear his mind.

He ended up walking out onto a beautiful stone balcony that overlooked the grounds at the back of the house.

The air was cool and he was bathed in the soft pink light of the blood moon.

He closed his eyes for a moment.

***

Jonathan paced from room to room looking for his servant.

With all possibility of him being on the 1st floor maxed out, he ascended the staircase.

He was sure he’d seen Sock upset, but why?

He peered around the door of a bedroom and saw a crumpled dress on the huge bed.

Recognising the extravagant fabric, it had to be the dress he’d picked out for Sock.

Which meant… Sock was running around naked!

Jonathan’s hand flew to his mouth.

Extremely confused, Jonathan continued his search.

***

Mephistopheles was enjoying the Blood Moon Bank Holiday, a national day off for the citizens of hell.

He lay on a black sand beach, using a big reflector to catch the pink rays of the sun on his pale skin.

In the fiery lake sprawled out before him, the souls of the damned screamed as they burned for all eternity. The sound soothed him.

Like all demons, Meph was much more powerful underneath a blood moon.

He wondered briefly if he had ever mentioned things like this to Sock.

“Hmmm, nah he probably knows all about that stuff,” he buffed the concern away and leant forward, peering over his sunglasses.

A demonic colleague was surfing across the lake on a surfboard made of severed human arms. They caught eyes and waved merrily to each other.

“Ahh,” sighed Meph as he took a sip of his Bloody Mary, “This is the life.”

He had a whole 3 hours of relaxation left before he had to go back to work.

***

Jonathan pushed the doors open to the balcony angstily. He couldn’t find Sock anywhere, so he’d come out here to brood.

He’d even tried calling to him and giving him commands, yet for some reason the little demon didn’t come running like he always did!

The night was quiet compared to the thumping music inside the mansion and the moonlight was a soft rosé.

The balcony was wide and dramatic, with a large fish tank in the centre.

Jonathan thought it was a little much, even for the home of a trillionaire.

He leant forward to admire the fish in their many vibrant colours. The teal glow from the tank contrasted the pink backdrop.

As he went to straighten up, he noticed his own reflection. He looked a little sad.

Then he saw, with a fright, there was another person on the other side of the tank!

Startled, he stood upright and walked nervously around the tank to apologise, the stranger on the other side mirroring his actions.

The young man who turned to face him was dressed very elegantly.

He wore a blood-red velvet suit with a black silk vest and bow tie. His shoes were shiny black louboutins that clacked on the floor as he moved.

He had clearly tried to neaten up his rusty mop of hair a little, with not much effect, but he still looked cute. He was surrounded in a halo of pink light from the moon and his green eyes glowed with such vibrancy that it knocked the breath out of Jonathan’s lungs.

“Jonathan?”

The teen blinked, registering who he was looking at.

“Sock! I’ve been looking for you everywhere!”

He stepped towards Sock enthusiastically, but Sock’s expression didn’t change. He looked sad.

“I saw you earlier when I was on the dancefloor, you looked kinda upset,” said Jonathan, rubbing his neck, “Are you okay? Did… something demon-y I don’t understand happen?”

“...Maybe… you could say that…”

“I don’t wanna go back down there alone… it’s more funny if we can make fun of preps together…” he offered lamely, shying under Sock’s icy response. Something about him… seemed somewhat… dangerous… Even if he was just a kid in an untailored suit with a pink backlight.

“Those preps? You mean your friends?”

Jonathan couldn’t help but laugh, “I’ve hardly known them long enough to call them friends! Although I had a good talk with Chad. He even apologised about how he treated me! And can you believe he asked me of all people for relationship advice?”

Sock’s expression was inscrutable. Like a mix between the eyebrows from the Dreamworks face and that cat with the downturned mouth that looks shocked or horrified.

“Uh… he likes Steve? The art kid…” Jonathan continued, not understanding Sock’s expression.

Then he realised Sock was actually pulling that face at something over Jonathan’s shoulder.

Jonathan turned and saw, to his awe and mild disgust that, on a balcony parallel to theirs, Steve and Chad were in each other’s arms. Sucking face with great intensity.

“Wow. I’m good at this,” laughed Jonathan, swallowing down his barf.

Sock started chuckling then broke into a full laugh, his cold facade melting away, “I can’t believe… I thought that…” he quietly wiped a tear from his eye.

Jonathan felt like he was missing something, but smiled at Sock returning to his regular demeanor.

“If you’re really okay…”

Sock wiped his face with his hands and smiled remorsefully, “Yeah, I am.”

“Then… I’ve been meaning to tell you… Well I didn’t really wanna say it… but I’ve drank some weird stuff and I’ve already humiliated myself socially several times this evening so I may as well continue to be a dweeb…”

“Jonathan, you’re all rambly and sweaty.”

Jonathan took a breath.

“Sock. I’ve had a really good week. The best week in fact. I know I tricked you, and that meant you basically have to do anything I want but… dammit… you don’t suck at your job.”

“What was that?”

“You don’t suck at your job.”

***

From an overhead window, Tiffany snapped a few pics of the two and tapped a little on her phone.

“Like, I can’t wait to write this scene into my next fan fic~” she lol’d.


	16. So Take Me To Heaven Or Hell, I Don’t Care Where

“Jonathan, you’ve made me the happiest girl in the world(!)” laughed Sock good humouredly.

Jonathan laughed and shrugged, “No, I mean… it’s more than that. I know you probably don’t feel this way but… we’ve spent so much time together… I really think of you… as a friend…”

Sock’s dead heart jumped up into his throat and he swallowed, “Wuh…?”

“It makes me kinda wish that… things weren’t like this… and we could just hang out… like normal kids…”

Sock stepped forward automatically and grabbed Jonathan’s hand, “We can do that, if you want!”

They both looked down at their hands in joint surprise but neither pulled away.

“Please… break the contract. You can do it, but only tonight… because of the moon or some junk…”

“Sock, you’re solid!”

“Thanks, I’ve been working out.”

“No, I mean, it’s like you’re right here,” he squeezed the demon’s clammy hand, fascinated.

“Duh, I’m always here!”

“No, like you’re a normal person… like I’m not going crazy…”

Sock felt Jonathan’s voice break with a pang.

“I’m not breaking the contract with you, because then you’ll go and I’ll be all alone again,” he said quietly.

Sock’s heart pounded as he looked at Jonathan. His friend.

“I won’t go! If anything I’ll just be sticking around bugging you to kill yourself some more…”

Jonathan laughed and shook his head, “You idiot…”

Jonathan let go of Sock’s hand and looked him in the eye, “You’ve been trying that crap for months and I’ve not even attempted suicide! You don’t even realise - “ he stopped himself and looked away, smiling with disbelief.

“What Jonny boy? What don’t I realise?”

“When you’re around, Sock… I want to live. More than ever.”

Sock stepped back in stunned shock.

“Even when you’re super annoying, and embarrassing, and making it easy for me to end it. I don’t want to, not when I’m not feeling alone for once. You took the time to understand me, Sock. Like no one ever has. And that’s why you couldn’t get the job done.”

The moon finished it’s circuit of the night sky, dipping behind the mountains. Everything was suddenly dipped into a deep midnight blue.

Jonathan’s suit sparkled like the stars, his face and his weak smile lit by the gentle glow of the turquoise fish tank.

Sock absorbed every last detail of the boy in front of him. This funny, sarcastic, angsty, incredible boy.

Sock reached out but his hand slipped straight through. The moment had passed.

“Jonathan, I - “

Suddenly the two flinched in pain and looked at their hands.

The scars on their pinky fingers glowed white hot before beginning to fade away with a searing pain.

The two boys looked between their hands and each other in shock.

“I - I don’t feel so good…”

Jonathan looked terrified, “Sock, what’s happening? Your body - “

Sock reached out and Jonathan tried to grab him, grasping the thin air.

“I can barely see you!”

Sock squinted at Jonathan as the world faded away. He could see the boy yelling something but he just couldn’t hear. It sounded like he was underwater. He couldn’t even speak… he couldn’t even say goodbye.

Sock blinked and he was back in hell.  
***

“WHAT the HELL was THAT?”

Mephistopheles held the phone away from his ear to relieve himself of the bratty demon’s screams.

“My entertainment was finally getting GOOD and then he just disappears??????? What the FRICK??”

“Tiff, sweetie, calm down, it was just Sock getting out of that lousy contract to come back to work with me.”

He’d only been back at work for three minutes and Meph already had a headache.

“Although, I gotta admit… never thought he’d get out of it like that…”

“I don’t give two fricks about your crummy department you old man! I’m gonna tell my daddy about how YOU ruined my party, and then you’ll be sorry!”

With a bitchy click, Tiffany hung up.

Great, having to deal with a high ranking devil like Beelzebezos was the last thing he needed. 

Meph sighed.

He’d have to go through processing all over again, but he was glad he had Sock back on his team. If anything, it was embarrassing to have an employee give him the slip like that. He’d have to be more careful in the future.

As for that Jonathan boy… ooo he couldn’t WAIT to get his hands on the little brat when he finally made it to hell.

Whipping out his copy of their contract with a flourish, he smirked smugly at the big red “VOID” stamp that blazed with red flames upon the parchment.

“Of all the lines of small print… that’s the get-out clause he ended up with huh…” he mused coldly.

Snapping his fingers vengefully, yellow flames began to eat at the paper.

The devil returned to his desk.

Amongst the finest of fine print, a certain clause was highlighted in gold ink.

“Terms of automatic contract nullification No. 42  
A non-workplace relationship is prohibited. If either party is to fall in love with the other, the contract is immediately void.”

END.


End file.
